Non‐symmetric bent‐core mesogens with one terminal vinyl group

Two series of non‐symmetric banana‐shaped compounds, both with one alkyl and one alkenyl terminal tail, have been synthesized and studied. Both series were compared with the corresponding series with two saturated terminal alkyl tails. All the compounds have a bent central 1,3‐phenylene bis(4‐benzoyloxy)benzoate core; their mesophases were characterized by polarizing optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X‐ray diffraction and switching current response experiments. In all four series one of the terminal tails is varied from OC₈H₁₇ to OC₁₆H₃₃. The other terminal tails are OC₁₁H₂₃, O(CH₂)₉CH?=?CH₂, OC₁₀H₂₁ and O(CH₂)₈CH?=?CH₂. The short‐tailed compounds show monotropic or enantiotropic B₁ phases and the long‐tailed compounds the B₂ phase. The introduction of one terminal vinyl group slightly lowers the transition temperatures. The introduction of a second terminal vinyl group further suppresses the liquid crystalline properties. All compounds with B₂ phases have layer spacings that suggest a tilt of ～45° of the bent molecules in the layers, and their switching behaviour is antiferroelectric.     

Variable electron-phonon coupling in isolated metallic carbon nanotubes observed by Raman scattering

We report the existence of broad and weakly asymmetric features in the high-energy (G) Raman modes of freely suspended metallic carbon nanotubes of defined chiral index. A significant variation in peak width (from 12 cm(-1) to 110 cm(-1)) is observed as a function of the nanotube's chiral structure. When the nanotubes are electrostatically gated, the peak widths decrease. The broadness of the Raman features is understood as the consequence of coupling of the phonon to electron-hole pairs, the strength of which varies with the nanotube chiral index and the position of the Fermi energy.     

Giant spin splitting through surface alloying

The long-range ordered surface alloy Bi/Ag(111) is found to exhibit a giant spin splitting of its surface electronic structure due to spin-orbit coupling, as is determined by angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. First-principles electronic structure calculations fully confirm the experimental findings. The effect is brought about by a strong in-plane gradient of the crystal potential in the surface layer, in interplay with the structural asymmetry due to the surface-potential barrier. As a result, the spin polarization of the surface states is considerably rotated out of the surface plane.     

Q-switched Yb-doped nonlinear microstructured fiber laser for the emission of broadband spectrum

We report on an innovative configuration of a supercontinuum laser based on an Yb-doped nonlinear microstructured fiber. Due to this particular fiber design combining amplification and nonlinear properties, a wideband output spectrum is generated in the fiber under the Q-switched regime. By exploiting stimulated Brillouin scattering, high peak power pulses are achieved and contribute to a spectral broadening due to a nonlinear wavelength conversion process. Both infrared (1000-1200 nm) and visible (650-750 nm) spectra are generated with an average power of 200 mW.     

Densities,refractive indices,and order parameters of a binary liquid-crystalline system with an induced smectic A phase

For the binary mixture of 4′-Nitrophenyl 4-n-octyloxybenzoate and 4-n-Octyloxyphenyl 4′-pentyloxybenzoate with an induced smectic A phase the refractive indices (n_c and n_o) and the density were measured in dependence on the temperature. The orientational order parameter and the density were calculated using a mean field fitting method. In the induced S_A phase the refractive indices and the calculated orientational order parameters are showing only a weak dependence on concentration. The calculated and measured densities are in the same order of magnitude.     

Preservation of Mimosa tenuiflora Antiaflatoxigenic Activity Using Microencapsulation by Spray-Drying

Mimosa tenuiflora aqueous extract (MAE) is rich in phenolic compounds. Among them, condensed tannins have been demonstrated to exhibit a strong antioxidant and antiaflatoxin B1 activities in Aspergillus flavus. Since antioxidant capacity can change with time due to environmental interactions, this study aimed to evaluate the ability of encapsulation by spray-drying of Mimosa tenuiflora aqueous extract to preserve their biological activities through storage. A dry formulation may also facilitate transportation and uses. For that, three different wall materials were used and compared for their efficiency. Total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, antifungal and antiaflatoxin activities were measured after the production of the microparticles and after one year of storage at room temperature. These results confirmed that encapsulation by spray-drying using polysaccharide wall materials is able to preserve antiaflatoxin activity of Mimosa tenuiflora extract better than freezing.     

Numerical approach for generic three-phase flow based on cut-cell and ghost fluid methods

In this paper, we introduce numerical methods that can simulate complex multiphase flows. The finite volume method, applying Cartesian cut-cell is used in the computational domain, containing fluid and solid, to conserve mass and momentum. With this method, flows in and around any geometry can be simulated without complex and time consuming meshing. For the fluid region, which involves liquid and gas, the ghost fluid method is employed to handle the stiffness of the interface discontinuity problem. The interaction between each phase is treated simply by wall function models or jump conditions of pressure, velocity and shear stress at the interface. The sharp interface method “coupled level set (LS) and volume of fluid (VOF)” is used to represent the interface between the two fluid phases. This approach will combine some advantages of both interface tracking/capturing methods, such as the excellent mass conservation from the VOF method and good accuracy of interface normal computation from the LS function. The first coupled LS and VOF will be generated to reconstruct the interface between solid and the other materials. The second will represent the interface between liquid and gas.